


Haunting Sucess

by FandomsMJ



Series: Bakoda Fleet Week 2020 [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Death, Injuires, M/M, Modern AU, Nightmares, Past Character Death, car crash, references my previous fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:41:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25558264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomsMJ/pseuds/FandomsMJ
Summary: He'd succeeded, he'd saved Bato. So why did the nightmares haunt him?
Relationships: Bato/Hakoda (Avatar)
Series: Bakoda Fleet Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1861639
Kudos: 46
Collections: Bakoda Fleet Week 2020





	Haunting Sucess

**Author's Note:**

> For Bakoda Fleet Week prompt Old Wounds

_It was dark, the rain was cold. There was the smell of oil and something else in the air. Something metallic, red, oozing from wounds. Hakoda was standing on the road, staring at the car. It was less of a car and more of a twisted hunk of metal and shattered glass. There was a body among the twisted metal, and Hakoda felt his heart drop._

_"Bato!" He ran towards the wreck. His feet slipped on the slick road and he fell, seeming to slide further away from the car. "Bato!" He had to get to him. Had to make sure he wasn't... He couldn't be..._

_While it seemed to be impossible to get closer, the details only became sharper. Long limbs twisted in ways they shouldn't be. His head at the wrong angle, handsome face almost hidden from view._

_"Bato!" Hakoda screamed again, not sure if his blurry vision was from tears or the rain._

_"You couldn't save him." The woman's voice came from behind him and Hakoda froze. He could smell smoke, the coldness of the rain being replaced by the heat of flames. "Just like you couldn't save me."_

_Now he knew it was tears blurring his vision as he looked up at the charred figure._

And then it was gone.

Hakoda tried to sit up but didn't get far as an arm wrapped around him. "Wouldn't recommend getting up, Koda," Bato murmured groggily. "Woke up half the house with your cursing when your leg gave out last time." 

"Bato." It was more of a sob than Hakoda would care to admit as he reached out to pull him closer. 

"Nightmare?" Bato asked, shifting slightly so he could return the hug. 

Hakoda nodded against his shoulder. They stayed there in silence for a long moment. Hakoda's tears soaking into the shoulder of Bato's pajama shirt. Finally, he muttered, "I couldn't save you. Just like I couldn't save her." 

Bato shifted and for a moment, Hakoda held on tighter out of fear he was trying to pull away. "Hakoda." That was enough to get him to let go. Bato continued to shift until Hakoda's head was pressed against his chest. "Listen." 

He didn't even have to ask what he was supposed to be listening to. His head was just in the right place to easily hear Bato's strong heartbeat. A few minutes passed then Bato asked what he heard, and Hakoda answered. 

"Which means I'm alive," Bato said. "You did save me. Almost lost your leg in the process, but you did save me. I'm still here." 

Hakoda nodded. Other than that, he didn't move. He just stayed where he was listening to the beating of Bato's heart. He was still here. He was alive. 

He kept repeating that to himself as he finally drifted off to sleep again. 


End file.
